Feature by Eliza Borné

Home may be where the heart is, but what living space—no matter how beloved—couldn’t use a little sprucing up? From quick-fix projects to complete overhauls, these five books provide inspiration and guidance for adding style to your abode.Sherry and John Petersik, the upbeat couple behind the popular blog younghouselove.com, cheer on DIY-ers in Young House Love. Filled with...

Feature by Joanna Brichetto

Our new Lifestyles column begins with three smart writers. Whether advising readers on how to save money, how to grow memories with grandkids or how to plan a sane wedding, all aim to increase quality of life—not a bad way to start a year.Think big, save bigElisabeth Leamy, consumer correspondent for “Good Morning America,” advises a radical shift in how we think about saving...

Feature by Deanna Larson

Gingerbread and dirty Santas, nativity scenes and maxed-out credit cards: the holidays bring both highs and lows. During this most special time of year, there are cooks cooking, crafters crafting—and people creating wacky Christmases of their own making, as celebrated in these new books.Strange stories of the season Count on Augusten Burroughs (Running with Scissors, A Wolf at the Table)...

Feature by Linda Stankard

With the economy on everyone’s mind, do-it-yourself projects are more popular than ever this spring. Even if you don’t know a C-clamp from a screwdriver, this new lineup offers a bevy of home improvement projects—from fixing faucets to whole-house overhauls—sure to inspire your “can do” spirit. Norma Vally, the vivacious, confident host of Discovery Home...

Feature by Joanna Brichetto

If you sew—even just occasionally—you have scraps: bits of fabric too small to fool with but too gorgeous to get rid of. Whether left over from a big project or purpose-bought from an irresistible remnant bin, scraps happen. But what to do with them all? Sewing Bits and Pieces: 35 Projects Using Fabric Scraps shows precisely what. Author Sandi Henderson, a fabric and pattern...